Tag: pubmed

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Analysis of related factors and disease costs of respiratory infection and environmental pollution in children.

Technol Health Care. 2020 Apr 24;:

Authors: Hu F, Jing L, Shi R

Abstract
BACKGROUND: In recent years, air pollution and the number of children with respiratory tract infections increased. This also increased the burden related to the treatment of disease, so the government and relevant departments need to strengthen their management.
OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to quantitatively analyze the relationship between respiratory infection and air quality in children and gain insight into the burden of related diseases.
METHODS: Data regarding outpatient and emergency department visits in children of 14 years or younger in 16 public and private medical institutions were collected for four months. Routine air quality monitoring data in Shanghai from the same period were correlated with these medical data by descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation analysis and multivariate linear regression analysis.
RESULTS: There was a positive correlation between respiratory tract infections in 73376 children and AQI, PM2.5, SO2 and NO2 levels. The total medical expense per patient was 80.22 yuan, and the average compensation ratio of medical insurance per patient was 18.95%. The increase in AQI and the concentration of major air pollutants will lead to increased medical treatment for children with respiratory diseases.
CONCLUSION: It is suggested that the intensity of air pollution control should be increased, so that the special period of childhood respiratory protection is strengthened. Moreover, child medical insurance coverage should also be moderately increased to safeguard the rights and interests of children’s health.

PMID: 32364168 [PubMed – as supplied by publisher]

Related Articles

The Brownian and Flow-Driven Rotational Dynamics of a Multicomponent DNA Origami-Based Rotor.

Small. 2020 May 03;:e2001855

Authors: Ahmadi Y, Nord AL, Wilson AJ, Hütter C, Schroeder F, Beeby M, Barišić I

Abstract
Nanomechanical devices are becoming increasingly popular due to the very diverse field of potential applications, including nanocomputing, robotics, and drug delivery. DNA is one of the most promising building materials to realize complex 3D structures at the nanoscale level. Several mechanical DNA origami structures have already been designed capable of simple operations such as a DNA box with a controllable lid, bipedal walkers, and cargo sorting robots. However, the nanomechanical properties of mechanically interlinked DNA nanostructures that are in general highly deformable have yet to be extensively experimentally evaluated. In this work, a multicomponent DNA origami-based rotor is created and fully characterized by electron microscopy under negative stain and cryo preparations. The nanodevice is further immobilized on a microfluidic chamber and its Brownian and flow-driven rotational behaviors are analyzed in real time by single-molecule fluorescence microscopy. The rotation in previous DNA rotors based either on strand displacement, electric field or Brownian motion. This study is the first to attempt to manipulate the dynamics of an artificial nanodevice with fluidic flow as a natural force.

PMID: 32363713 [PubMed – as supplied by publisher]

Assessing pain in children with autism spectrum disorders: findings from a preliminary validation study.

Scand J Caring Sci. 2020 Apr 20;:

Authors: Palese A, Conforto L, Meloni F, Bordei V, Domenighini A, Bulfone E, Grassetti L, Gonella S

Abstract
AIMS: Assessing pain in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) can be extremely challenging, since many cannot self-report pain. This study aims to test the validity of the Non-Communicating Children’s Pain Checklist – Revised (NCCPC-R) in identifying pain in children and adolescents affected by ASDs.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: A two-phase validation study based on (a) the translation and cultural adaptation of the NCCPC-R to Italian and to ASD-specific needs and context; and (b) the validation of a modified, 32-item version of the NCCPC-R. In all, 141 carers of children aged 6-16 years with ASDs were asked to recall an in-pain episode and a not-in-pain episode of their child and to rate on a 3-point scale (0 = not at all, 3 = very often) each behaviour included in the tool. Internal consistency (Cronbach’s α), explorative and confirmative factorial structure, as well as concurrent and discriminant validity, were all assessed.
RESULTS: Confirmatory factor analysis established the revised version of the NCCPC-R for children with ASDs (named = NCCPC-RASD ), formed from 10 of the original 30 items categorised into three factors (‘Changing in mood’, ‘Increasing in tension’ and ‘Alerting reaction’) to have an acceptable level of reliability. The tool was internally consistent (α = 0.741 during in-pain episodes, α = 0.790 during not-in-pain episodes) and was able to discriminate between in-pain episodes (13.36 out of 40; CI 95% 12.34-14.39) and not-in-pain episodes (7.84 out of 40; CI 95% 6.86-8.82, p < 0.001).
CONCLUSIONS: These results provide preliminary evidence that the 10-item version of the NCCPC-RASD is a reliable and valid tool for assessing pain in children with ASD.

PMID: 32311779 [PubMed – as supplied by publisher]

Prevalence and Immunophenotypic Characteristics of Monoclonal B-Cell Lymphocytosis in Healthy Korean Individuals With Lymphocytosis.

Ann Lab Med. 2020 Sep;40(5):409-413

Authors: Yoo IY, Bang SH, Lim DJ, Kim SJ, Kim K, Kim HJ, Kim SH, Cho D

Abstract
Epidemiological studies of monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis (MBL) have been conducted in limited geographical regions. Little is known about the prevalence of MBL in Asia. We investigated the prevalence and immunophenotypic characteristics of MBL in Koreans who had idiopathic lymphocytosis (lymphocyte count >4.0×109/L) and were ≥40 years of age. A total of 105 leftover peripheral blood samples met these criteria among those from 73,727 healthy individuals who visited the Health Promotion Center, Samsung Medical Center, Korea, from June 2018 to August 2019. The samples were analyzed using eight-color flow cytometry with the following monoclonal antibodies: CD45, CD5, CD10, CD19, CD20, CD23, and kappa and lambda light chains. The overall prevalence of MBL in the study population was 2.9% (3/105); there was one case of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)-like MBL (CD5+CD23+), one case of atypical CLL-like MBL (CD5+CD23-), and one case of CD5-MBL with a lambda restriction pattern. This is the first study on the MBL prevalence in an East Asian population, and it reveals a relatively low prevalence of MBL in healthy Korean individuals with lymphocytosis.

PMID: 32311854 [PubMed – as supplied by publisher]

Facial Fractures and the National Basketball Association: Epidemiology and Outcomes.

Laryngoscope. 2020 Apr 20;:

Authors: Salehi PP, Heiser A, Torabi SJ, Azizzadeh B, Lee J, Lee YH

Abstract
OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: To identify the epidemiology and impact of facial fractures on player performance and return to play (RTP) in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective case-control series METHODS: Fifty-three NBA players who sustained facial fractures between 1984 and 2018 were identified. Players with pre- and postinjury statistics were included in the performance analysis. A control group was matched by age, body mass index (BMI), position, NBA experience, and player efficiency rating. Fisher exact tests and Student t tests were performed to analyze player demographics and performance variables.
RESULTS: At the time of injury, the average player’s age was 26.17 years, BMI was 24.80 kg/m2 , and NBA experience was 4.97 years. Players missed an average of 3.77 games and 18.21 days prior to RTP. Forty-eight players (90.6%) did RTP the subsequent season, whereas 43 of those players (81.1%) met inclusion criteria for performance analysis. There was no significant change in performance between pre- and postinjury seasons. Players managed operatively missed significantly more games (8.15 vs. 1.85; P = .034) and days (51.08 vs. 5.53; P = .003) than players managed nonoperatively, whereas performance was not impacted. Average career length following facial fracture was significantly shorter compared to controls (5.14 vs. 6.42 years; P = .010) and a decrease in three-pointer percentage (P = .004) was observed.
CONCLUSIONS: The majority of players who suffer facial fractures RTP in the NBA and do not experience significant decline in performance following injury. These results should aid physicians caring for basketball players at any level, and may help inform future guidelines for treatment and injury prevention.
LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3b Laryngoscope, 2020.

PMID: 32311769 [PubMed – as supplied by publisher]

Early childhood social determinants and family relationships predict parental separation and living arrangements thereafter.

Acta Paediatr. 2020 Apr 20;:

Authors: Hjern A, Bergström M, Kjaer Urhoj S, Andersen AN

Abstract
AIM: Parental separation has been associated with poor mental health in children. with better outcomes in children living in joint physical custody compared to those living with one parent after the separation. In this study we investigated socioeconomic and relational predictors in early childhood of later parental separation and family arrangements thereafter.
METHODS: This study included 34,768 children from the Danish National Birth Cohort, who were living with both parents at the 6 months’ data collection and followed up in 2010-2014 at age 11 years. Questionnaire data from the two data collections were linked with population registers in Statistics Denmark about parental income, education and psychiatric care and analysed in logistic regression models.
RESULTS: Socioeconomic indicators of the family and parental psychiatric disorders before birth of the child and family relationships in infancy predicted parental separation at age 11year. For children with separated parents, a high family income and a high parental educational level were the main predictors of living in joint physical custody at the eleven year follow-up.
CONCLUSION: Socioeconomic living conditions predict parental separation as well as living arrangements thereafter. Studies of consequences of living arrangements after parental separation should account for family factors preceding the separation.

PMID: 32311778 [PubMed – as supplied by publisher]

Influence of Antagonist Material on Fatigue and Fracture Resistance of Zirconia Crowns.

Eur J Dent. 2020 Apr 20;:

Authors: Nawafleh N, Bibars AR, Al Twal E, Öchsner A

Abstract
OBJECTIVES:  This study investigates the influence of the most commonly used indenter materials on fatigue survival and fracture resistance of zirconia crowns.
MATERIALS AND METHODS:  A total of 40 zirconia crowns were prepared using computer-aided design (CAD)/computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) technology: 30 crowns were divided into three experimental groups of 10 specimens and the last 10 specimens acted as the control group. The experimental groups were subjected to chewing simulation with simultaneous thermocycling. Three indenter materials (steatite ceramic, stainless steel, and tungsten carbide) with identical diameter were used to load the specimens. All crowns were then subjected to single load to fracture test in universal testing machine. Load was applied vertically with a crosshead speed of 1 mm/min until failure, and fracture load was recorded.
STATISTICAL ANALYSIS:  Normal distribution of data was confirmed using the Shapiro-Wilk test. Descriptive statistics including means and standard deviations were determined for all groups. Differences between groups were tested using Dunnett’s test and paired sample t-test.
RESULTS:  Chewing simulation for 1.2 million cycles resulted in 100% survival. The highest mean fracture load was recorded for the control group and the lowest one was for the group fatigued with stainless steel indenter. Chewing simulation statistically significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the mean fracture load of the crowns fatigued with stainless steel and steatite ceramic indenter. However, the mean fracture load for the crowns fatigued with tungsten carbide was not significantly different from that of the control group.
CONCLUSION:  Steatite ceramic and stainless steel indenters produced close results and significantly reduced fracture load of zirconia crowns. However, tungsten carbide indenter caused nonsignificant reduction in the fracture load of zirconia crowns.

PMID: 32311751 [PubMed – as supplied by publisher]

Variations in Surgical Outcomes of Carotid Body Tumors by Surgical Specialty.

Laryngoscope. 2020 Apr 20;:

Authors: Melachuri S, Valappil B, Snyderman C

Abstract
OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: A carotid body tumor (CBT) is a rare type of tumor that is divided among multiple surgical specialties. Individual surgeons may have limited experience in treating these tumors. We aim to compare different surgical specialties within a single healthcare system to detect variations in management and outcome.
STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective chart review.
METHODS: A chart review of all patients who underwent surgery for CBT at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) from 2000 to 2019 was carried out. Univariate and multivariate analysis was used for descriptive statistics, comparison of outcomes, and identification of risk factors.
RESULTS: Fifty-eight CBT resection surgeries were performed at UPMC. Patients with advanced tumor were 6.7 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.36-32.7) times more likely to undergo preoperative embolization and 8.53 (95% CI: 2.011-36.19) times more likely to sustain carotid artery injury. Advanced-stage tumor resections were associated with greater blood loss (P = .03) and longer hospitalization (P = .02). Collaborative surgeries were associated with higher rates of carotid artery injury (P = .003), residual tumor (P < .001), and longer hospitalization (P = .003), as these combined cases were generally reserved for advanced-stage tumors (P = .02). There were no differences in outcomes between specialties. Of 22 surgeons, the median number of surgeries per surgeon was one (range = 1-12, 54.5%).
CONCLUSIONS: Surgeons who completed only one surgery for CBT had a greater rate of hospital readmission and greater length of hospital stay. Collaborative surgeries had worse outcomes due to more advanced tumors requiring more complex surgeries.
LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4 Laryngoscope, 2020.

PMID: 32311766 [PubMed – as supplied by publisher]

Parental incarceration and youth tobacco product use: Implications for prevention and the e-cigarette epidemic.

Addict Behav. 2020 Apr 03;107:106428

Authors: Parks MJ, Davis L, Wilhelm AK, McMorris BJ, Borowsky IW, Shlafer RJ

Abstract
PURPOSE: Youth smokers have high rates of adverse childhood experiences, and particularly parental incarceration (PI). In Minnesota, 16% of youth have experienced PI, but 55% of daily smokers report PI. However, no research has examined how PI relates to a range of tobacco products, which is critical considering the current e-cigarette epidemic. There is also limited research on protective factors for tobacco use among youth with PI.
METHODS: Data came from 2016 Minnesota Student Survey (N = 111,091); 85% of Minnesota schools participated. We assessed 30-day use of cigarettes, non-cigarette combustible products, smokeless products, e-cigarettes, and dual/poly use. Using descriptive statistics and logistic regressions, we compared use across current, previous, and no PI experience. We also tested how protective factors related to tobacco use.
RESULTS: Youth with current PI experience used all products with higher frequency compared to youth with previous and no PI experience. Use prevalence among youth with current PI were 26.0% (95% CI = 24.1, 27.8) for e-cigarettes, 20.8% (95% CI = 19.1, 22.5) for dual/poly use, 17.8% (95% CI = 16.2, 19.5) for cigarettes, 17.4% (95% CI = 15.8, 19.0) for combustible non-cigarettes, and 9.9% (95% CI = 8.6, 11.2) for smokeless products. Nearly all protective factors were significantly and negatively related to use of all products, regardless of PI experience.
CONCLUSIONS: Youth with PI experience are at high risk for using multiple tobacco products. These disparities were most pronounced for e-cigarettes, demonstrating the e-cigarette epidemic is disproportionately occurring among youth with current and previous PI experience. All examined protective factors buffer risks for this population of youth.

PMID: 32311626 [PubMed – as supplied by publisher]

Randomized sketches for kernel CCA.

Neural Netw. 2020 Apr 14;127:29-37

Authors: Lian H, Zhang F, Lu W

Abstract
Kernel canonical correlation analysis (KCCA) is a popular tool as a nonlinear extension of canonical correlation analysis. Consistency and optimal convergence rate have been established in the literature. However, the time complexity of KCCA scales as O(n3) and is thus prohibitive when n is large. We propose an m-dimensional randomized sketches approach for KCCA with m<<n, based on the recent work on randomized sketches for kernel ridge regression (KRR). Technically we establish our theoretical results relying on an interesting connection between KCCA and KRR by utilizing a novel “duality tracking” device that alternates between the infinite-dimensional operator-theory-based view of KCCA and the finite-dimensional kernel-matrix-based view.

PMID: 32311655 [PubMed – as supplied by publisher]